Safe discharge of media

ABSTRACT

A device for discharging a gaseous medium contains a discharge line, in which a safety valve and a gas jet compressor connected downstream from the safety valve are arranged. Furthermore, at least one storage container is preferably assigned to the gas jet compressor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from German Patent Application No. 102011015431.0, filed Mar. 29, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for discharging a gaseous medium.

In manifold industrial processes and in the storage of industrial gases and gas mixtures, for example, hydrogen or methane, it is necessary to emit or blow off (gaseous) media which are combustible, highly flammable, and/or toxic into the atmosphere. If these media are provided under elevated pressure, safety valves are typically provided, which open in case of hazard—i.e., if the pressure inside the system exceeds a predefined threshold value—so that the medium can be discharged and the system can be protected from damage by bursting.

This discharge or blowing off of hazardous media into the atmosphere is connected with a further hazard under certain circumstances, however, since combustible gases, such as methane, can form an explosive mixture by mixing with air, which can cause great damage in case of an accidental ignition. Endangerment, in particular of persons, in the nearby environment can also occur during the exit of toxic media, if adequate dilution is not achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to specify a device for discharging a gaseous medium, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and in particular allows the safe discharge or blowing off of hazardous media.

To achieve this object, a device for discharging a gaseous medium is proposed, which has a discharge line, in which a safety valve and a gas jet compressor connected downstream from the safety valve are arranged.

To refine the device according to the invention, it is proposed that at least one storage container be assigned to the gas jet compressor.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, a pressure measuring device is assigned to the gas jet compressor on the suction side.

The core of the present invention is to combine a safety valve with a gas jet compressor in such a manner that the medium to be discharged is applied to the compressor as soon as the safety valve responds. The medium to be discharged therefore functions as the propellant in the gas jet compressor. Since it is pressurized, because of the high outflow velocity in the gas jet compressor, a partial vacuum is generated on the suction side of its injector nozzle. Multiple intake openings, for example, in the form of a ring gap, are typically located in the partial vacuum area of this nozzle. Either air from the atmosphere or a second medium, which is not identical to the medium to be discharged, can now be suctioned in via these intake openings.

Air from the atmosphere can normally only be suctioned in if the mixing of air and medium to be discharged does not result in the formation of a critical or hazardous gas mixture. The supply of a second medium is always necessary if safe discharge of the first medium is only possible after mixing or dilution with a second, preferably inert medium. For example, to be able to implement a safe discharge of methane, nitrogen can be used as the second medium. Upon appropriate admixture of nitrogen to methane, the ignition limit of the resulting methane-nitrogen mixture can be reduced sufficiently that ignition can be effectively prevented and the discharge of the methane or methane-nitrogen mixture to the atmosphere is therefore possible without problems.

This is also true for toxic media to be discharged, which are sufficiently diluted by the admixture of a suitable second medium that a hazard can be prevented. A second medium can also be admixed thereto, which results in a targeted neutralizing reaction between the toxic medium and the second medium, so that a hazard is also prevented when the toxic medium is blown off.

Because of the high outflow velocity of the medium to be discharged inside the gas jet compressor, a comparatively high intake power of atmospheric air or the second medium is achieved on the partial vacuum side. A sufficiently high dilution of the critical medium to be discharged results therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The device according to the invention for discharging a gaseous medium and further advantageous embodiments thereof are explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of the exemplary embodiment shown in the FIGURE.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Via a discharge line 1, a pressurized medium or gas is withdrawn from an (industrial) process P or from a storage container and, after response of the safety valve 2, discharged via the gas jet compressor 3 connected downstream from the safety valve 2 to the atmosphere 5. The partial vacuum side of the gas jet compressor 3 is supplied with atmospheric air or a second medium via line 4. The second medium can be taken from a storage container S assigned to the gas jet compressor 3 in this case, for example.

The problem often occurs that the safety valve 2 becomes leaky or no longer closes tightly. This results in permanent and possibly undesired outflow of the medium or gas from the process P or the storage container. To avoid this, a measuring device can be provided on the suction side of the ejector or gas jet compressor 3, by means of which a partial vacuum can be measured. This represents an indicator for the leakiness of the safety valve 2.

The device according to the invention for discharging a gaseous medium results in a significant increase of the safety in case of discharge or blowing off of critical media via safety valves. The device according to the invention does not require any additional energy supply or measuring or regulating units. 

1. A device for discharging a gaseous medium, comprising a discharge line, in which a safety valve and a gas jet compressor connected downstream from the safety valve are arranged.
 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one storage container is assigned to the gas jet compressor.
 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a pressure measuring device is assigned to the gas jet compressor on the suction side. 